THE PROXY BRIDE: His bride. Her Secret.
When he held me, his hand rested at the small of my back, thumb making slow, controlled circles—an assurance, not of affection, but of ownership.
Applause rose as if cued. Grandma’s smile widened and her thumb hovered over an unseen screen. Marcella’s look, sharp as a scalpel, said plainly: you did what you were paid to do. Julian clapped Cassian’s shoulder with the intimacy of an ally presenting a trophy.
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The reception unfolded like a series of quiet transactions.
“Enough ceremony!” Grandma announced, cloak of victory sweeping the room. She linked arms with Cassian. “The Riviera villa is booked. It is time to prepare them for the most impirtant part of the wedding. The bride depa